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Board Local Working Group Meeting

 

Local Working Group Meeting Agenda 

Planning for Fiscal Year 2025


Hosted by the Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District

 

Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Time: 1:30 p.m.

Location: Conference Room #2, Bert J. Harris Jr. Agricultural Center4509 George Blvd., Sebring, FL 33875

 

  1. Overview of Locally Led Conservation and Introductions – K. Nickerson, HSWCD (10 minutes)
  2. Overview of NRCS State Technical Committee, Highlights from Last Year – S. Bishop, HSWCD (5 minutes)
  3. Florida NRCS Funding Sources at Local Level – C. Torres, NRCS (10 minutes)
  4. Brainstorm Session: Resource Concerns & Recommendations – All (30 Minutes)
    1. Choose Highest (3) Priority Resource Concerns
    2. Select at least (1) required practice/enhancement to address each concern
    3. Determine the funding extent required for each concern
  5. Review and close (5 minutes)
  6. Adjourn
Local Working Group Meeting Notes 

Local Working Group Workshop

Meeting Minutes

 

Date: 4/16/2024

Time: 1:30 P.M.

Location: Conference Room #2, Bert J. Harris Jr. Agricultural Center, 4509 George Blvd., Sebring, FL 33875

 

Changes need to be made to the Farm Bill:

·         Need to increase payment cap per Farm Bill (greater than $450k EQIP, $200k CSP)

·         Remove AGI limitations from Farm Bill.  Corporate farms make the largest impact, pay more in taxes, are regulated on a larger scale... yet do not qualify.

·         Change Nitrogen management priority to overall nutrient management (including phosphorous)

 

Changes to be made at State level:

·         USDA cross training of staff – FSA & NRCS or at least presence in the county. NRCS to support FSA via eligibility paperwork and understanding/knowledge of programs – work together.

·         For coordination with FSA - When CRP comes to Florida (for groves) please also include specialty crops as eligible lands.

 

Staffing needed – at least 2 more NRCS program employees in Highlands County

 

More widespread funding is needed for Plant Pest Pressure to fight invasive plant species and invasive bugs.

·         Pastures are still riddled with smutgrass, cogongrass, tropical soda apple, Brazilian pepper trees, ceasarweed, etc.

·         Groves are abandoned and now breeding grounds for invasive weeds and pests all over Central and South Florida because of citrus greening.

 

Would like a payment scenario for pest management on cropland (citrus) for clearing abandoned groves, including Weed Management for 3-5 years and Nutrient Management for 3-5 years.

·         This goes along with the statewide CHRP program which will allow you to maintain your agricultural land classification for up to 5 years – assuming the land use does not change.

 

Payment scenario for Fencing (permanent and temporary) on cropland to allow grazing as part of a crop rotation to improve soil health.

 

Forage and biomass planting – payment rate insufficient

·         Need 2 herbicide treatments

·         3-4 disking

·         Freight is higher

 

Ramp up outreach to inform of changes and increase awareness of programs – too much for a 1-person office to accomplish, especially if the help coming in is straight out of college and in need of training.

·         We were unaware of the changes that were made as a result of the last round of LWGs.